Melodies Of Midnight
by ChocolateCarnival
Summary: After the fall of Gaia, when the world finally seemed to be righting itself after months of chaos; approaching Christmas is about to throw Percy Jackson's world upside down when he discovers a secret from the East and gains another sibling that may well be stronger than him. Only, the discovery is highly unexpected and may well forge a new path of love and acceptance for him. Yaoi
1. Prologue: Eyes Of Sea Green

Hello all my honeys, this is my Christmas fic for 2014…well part of it. It's another Crossover since so many of you seemed to enjoy the first. Although, I'll say this one is not a one-shot or two-shot, it's a multi-chapter fic as far as I can tell because of its complexity in plot. I know this story is going to deal with some taboo subjects, disability and things many of you may not like but I'm hoping to expand my horizon with this angsty piece. It's time that I return to my roots, I suppose, and write about what I know best.

**Please read the warnings carefully** before deciding to read this fic, it has quite a few and will be **plot heavy**…even when you can expect lemons not too long from the Prologue. So:

**Melodies of Midnight will contain: M/M lemons** (Establsihed Poseidon x Shiba Ichigo pairing), **Future M/M/M Pairing** (Poseidon x Shiba Ichigo x Percy Jackson), **Heavy Angst**, **Disability**, **Mentions of M-preg**, **Child**, **Rei (**零**) is Ichigo's son**, **Bearer and Donor Father Dynamics**, **Intense Lemons**, **Father x Son** (Poseidon x Percy**) intimacy moments** *separate pairing too* and **Mugetsu!Ichigo**…**Reiou!Ichigo. Canon setting for Percy Jackson, AU (Canon Divergence) for Bleach. **

Pairing starts out as:

**Poseidon (**Ποσειδῶν**) x Shiba Ichigo (**志波 一護**)**

Official Pairing is:

**Poseidon (**Ποσειδῶν**) x Shiba Ichigo (**志波 一護**) x Percy Jackson (**Περσεύς**)**

So there are all the warnings, please enjoy my honeys:

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><p><span><strong>Prologue: Eyes Of Sea Green<strong>

Fragments of a haunting melody, whispering across the ocean surface like a spring breeze; was enticing the ebb and flow of tides to dance in harmony to a lilting tenor that was humming the remnants of a long forgotten lullaby. The setting sun, casting a shimmering golden light across the Long Island Sound as two curious sea-green eyes widened in surprise when they finally noticed the shadow draped form that was sitting several meters away from the lapping surf. With a single leg propped up in the sand, a billowing array of pleated black fabric winnowing in the wind and a splay of thigh-length pitch black locks swaying evocatively against a straightened back; Percy Jackson was just about call out to what he assumed was a beautiful woman…until he noticed the deadly silk wrapped sword that was resting across the ethereal being's back. Another smaller blade, suspended from several intricate black chains around a thin waist, was brushing against a right thigh with a thick golden sash as its anchoring point. And all around what he now assumed was a male form (simply because no woman could wield such heavy swords), materialized a foreign garment of pure white silk, coloured a beautiful turquoise on the inside, as it spread meters and meters of rich,_ watery_, fabric across twilight lit sands.

Curled in the soft folds of the interloper's cloak like a contented cat, with a vibrant splash of messy orange locks dancing lazily in the breeze, slumbered the form of a small five year old child. The black haired being was careful not to disturb his charge though, affectionate fingertips carding through tangerine strands as he tilted his head back to observe the wintery clouds that were swirling dangerously in the twilight night sky. The last of the sun's fading rays was glinting off a black and gold circlet; highlighting a crown woven with delicate black chains, golden cherry blossom branches and a bowing moon endowed with a sculpted turquoise gem resting in the centre of a perpetually furrowed forehead. A messy array of pitch black bangs had also tumbled forward to conceal unreadable eyes in shadow, crafting an unusually beautiful sight that caused the young Demigod's breath to catch in his throat as a faraway eastern language lilted softly against his ears. The sensation of an oppressive power was also curling restrictively around proud shoulders, strained senses unaware of the camp pavilion coming to life with supper somewhere behind him as the black haired teen carefully observed the stranger that had clearly slipped into the borders of_ his_ home. He was merely sitting on the beach, paying no mind to the soaring pegasi that carried half-bloods through the air or the large Greek triremes that were anchored off the glittering shores.

The rising and falling notes of a gentle voice was creating a melody sweeter than any Percy had heard before, the Son Of Poseidon unconsciously lured towards the edge of the ocean where a powerful aura had begun to shimmer light blue across flawlessly tanned skin and fathomless chocolate brown eyes lifted to collide thoughtfully with puzzled sea-green depths. A tender smile was curling across luscious petal pink lips several seconds later; unusually thick white eyelashes closing serenely as the ethereal soul turned his attention back towards the ebb and flow of the rhythmic tides. When the younger teen came within twenty feet of the surf and consequently his target, absent fingertips curling around Riptide for caution, he struggled to silence his cry when five tangible shadows suddenly appeared out of thin air and formed a protective formation around the crowned stranger. They were the oddest collection of mismatched people he had seen in a long while, a bearded and heavy set man (dressed in a similar white and black uniform), coming to a halt directly in front of Percy with a teasing smile that was oddly inviting but undeniably dangerous at the same time. His arms were folded and hidden in the wide sleeves of his cloak, strangely elevated sandals walking across uneven sand without falter as a booming baritone forgot to restrict its volume out of courtesy to the sleeping child.

'Halt, young Half-Blood!' He yelled deafeningly, dark eyes narrowing suspiciously when Percy froze in place and shivered uneasily at the heavy pressure that was starting to press down on his chest. It felt like the ground was about to split open beneath his feet, his very breath stolen from his lungs as he was mere seconds away from losing his stern resolve to keep walking forward without displaying an ounce of fear. 'There will be no weapons drawn in the presence of the Reiou and young Koutaishi. If anyone seeks to disturb His Majesty and His Royal Highness, they will face the wrath of—.' Trailing off abruptly when an explosion of dark shadow flowed like blood from the centre of the bearded man's chest, sea-green eyes widened in surprise as a thick black chain materialized in the thigh-length blackette's right hand as he curled his fingers in the air as if grabbing onto something invisible. Rising to his feet with noble elegance and a startling amount of regal poise, Percy was stunned speechless when deep brown eyes snapped open from behind long curling white lashes and warm chocolaty irises coloured a smouldering, crimson, red. 'They will face the wrath of the Royal Guard, proud Zero Division of the Reiōkyū etc, etc, etc. Right Ichibei-san?' An irritable tenor cut in, finishing the Monk Of Perception's sentence for him as an intense glare from carmine eyes sent a wave of sheer trepidation through the newly revealed ranks of the Zero Division.

'I asked you specifically to stay in the shadows, Old Man! Rei is sleeping, you loud-mouthed bastard! If you wake him after the day he's had, I will bind you with your Chain of Fate, cast you into Poseidon's domain and have the Lord Of The Sea do with you as he pleases.' Emphasizing each angered word with a firm tug on the black chain connected to the Royal Guard's chest, the Reiou eventually raised his hand in a dismissive wave as the Shinigami surrounding him vanished into the breeze with accelerated shunpo. There was only a single call of: 'Hai, Heika(1*),' echoing through the air before the sound of lapping tides drowned out whispering voices and a peaceful silence once more descended upon the expanse of a silvery beach. The thigh-length blackette resumed his seat not long after that, pressing a black geta clad foot in the sand to make himself more comfortable as he balanced a forearm on his raised knee and frowned curiously at the black haired teenager that was standing several feet from his left with a deep frown settled between dark brows. A look of confused disbelief was seared into the depths of haunting sea-green orbs, prompting a quiet chuckle to spill from petal pink lips as Shiba Ichigo waved the stunned camper over with a tender smile and simultaneously turned his attention back to the young child that was slumbering peacefully in the silken folds of his royal haori.

'Take a seat, young Demigod. You wish to know who I am, how I'm here, what I'm doing and if my presence is a threat to your camp, correct?' Carding gentle black nailed fingertips through a messy array of orange strands that his son had inherited from his 'Sun' form, Ichigo allowed the soothing caress to ease away dark dreams that were affecting his little one's sleep as a soft miasma of misty white spilled from between petal pink lips with a sigh. The plummeting temperatures of the early winter night was quite noticeable out here on the beach, he thought absently. A contemplative crimson gaze turning towards the darkened depths of the ocean as a flood of warm reiatsu spilled from gentle fingertips and made sure little Rei was shielded from the inherent cold. 'Rest assured, Son Of Poseidon, I won't hurt you_ or_ declare war on your camp. I am the Reiou, Shiba Ichigo. It is my rightful duty to rule over the Human World, Soul Society and Hueco Mundo as the Soul King. Balancing the flow of souls in and out of the human world, afterlife, reincarnation and Jigoku(2*) or 'Hell' as you call it, is my direct sphere of influence. And before you say: "But that's my Uncle Hades' job", I assure you that we are not the same. I am from the East, not the West. Meaning that I am of Japanese descent, Percy Jackson, not Greek like you.'

'My culture, power, control over souls and duties are vastly different from what you know and think of as 'Western Civilization'.' A beautifully accented tenor noted calmly, the Reiou smiling kindly the moment that a contented sigh drifted from the young Denka's (3*) plump strawberry red lips. The sleeping five-year-old was burrowing himself closer to his Tou-chan's side, small hands grasping hold of a black hakama as a tinkling array of delicate chains indicated the older being's shift in movement to accommodate his child's unconscious whimsies. Sharp red eyes were eagerly observing the folds of an intricate dark green kosode, though; lined with soft black fur as it accentuated a white, silver and light blue haori settled around small shoulders just like his father's garments of royalty. A soft glint of pride was shimmering brightly within red-pigmented orbs, the thigh-length blackette brushing vibrant tangerine strands away from closed eyelids that he knew concealed a startling pair of irises that were the exact same shade and hue as Rei's Donor Father. Struggling to smooth away the small perpetual frown that was settled between tangerine brows in a reflection to the Reiou's own irate expression, an indulgent smile curled across previously stoic pink lips as the dark haired King eventually turned his captivated attention back to the Sea God's son that had yet to ask questions or demand more straight answers.

There was a small chuckle of amusement colouring the air not long after that, Ichigo taking notice of the Son Of Poseidon's appearance for the first time as he cast his eyes over a lithe frame (several inches shorter than him) that looked like it had just rolled out of bed. A scruffy mess of black hair was sticking up on the crown of the teen's head, falling forward messily to conceal haunting sea-green eyes in shadow as restless fingertips toyed with a silver pen as a distraction to the situation surrounding him. With only an orange camp t-shirt settled beneath a black zip-up hoodie and dark green cargo pants subtly drawing attention to comfortably crossed legs, it seemed like the teen was quite negatively affected by the cold. Several noticeable shivers were transversing sun bronzed skin, the King of the Reiōkyū shaking his head with amusement as he extended the reach of his reiatsu to warm the air around his guest as well and hopefully keep those bare feet from freezing in the wintery cold. It was already snowing inside the barrier of Half-Blood Hill this time of year, Christmas only several days away as the alluring scent of hot chocolate, preparations for supper, pine and mint candy floated invitingly through air. It was prompting Percy's stomach to grumble, green eyes glancing shyly at the ethereal King that looked only three years his senior with fathomless crimson eyes that possessed several centuries, if not millennia, of wisdom.

'Did I disturb your afternoon nap, Perseus? It looks like you fell out of bed.' Ichigo noted with a sly smile, reaching for a turquoise windflower silk scarf wound around his neck as he handed it off to the seventeen-year-old with an encouraging nod. 'You can borrow it to warm you up,' He said gently when green eyes narrowed suspiciously, watching the long haired blackette intently as the Son Of Poseidon eventually accepted the gift with a small 'thank you' and wrapped it around his neck with gratitude. 'Just be careful with it, Percy. That scarf can buy several mansions in Seireitei if sold. It is a priceless garment. Aside from me, only the nobility descendent from Senjumaru may wear it. I don't think you'll pass for a Kuchiki, no matter how you try…' Glimpsing the flicker of trepidation the seeped into stormy eyes, Ichigo smiled playfully as glint of mirth shadowed his attractive features. Before the young Demigod could ask a vast array of questions or voice his fears that his streak of bad luck may ruin the borrowed gift, he was cut off as Ichigo pressed a black nailed fingertip across his lips in a motion for quiet. Intense crimson eyes were fading back to their warm chocolate brown hue, a strange black marking, with two curing black lines, searing itself below a left eye as white eyelashes (coloured as pure as snow) fluttered shut serenely the moment that the wind picked up around them and a rustle of leaves erupted through the night air.

'It's not cursed, Son Of Poseidon.' The Reiou chuckled, tracing his child's angelic features one last time before he pulled a small body into his lap and thankfully stood with enough fluid grace so as to not wake the slumbering prince. 'Senjumaru can make a new one if I asked, it'll only take her a couple of minutes as the Goddess of Weave.' Surrounded by the ceaseless turmoil of a rising wind, a vast stretch of white and turquoise silk was winnowing in the wind behind him as the thigh-length blackette tilted his head to the side slightly when a warm forehead came to rest against the side of his neck and a small whimper of disturbed slumber cut quietly through the air. A small black geta clad foot was pressing irritably against Zangetsu's white sheath out of discontent, tiny fingertips fisting flowing black strands and the front of a regal kosode that was decorated with golden chains and smoky patterns as Rei sniffled quietly in pure distress. He was clearly unsettled by the tilt in his weight, Ichigo pressing a soothing kiss against the top of messy orange hair to settle the little one's unrest as a small fluctuation in his father's reiatsu lulled the five-year-old back to sleep. Chocolate brown eyes turned towards the ocean with a yearning gaze though, a quiet hiss of irritation fell from the tip of a pink tongue as Ichigo muttered a Japanese curse.

'He is late!' He yelled, rolling his eyes at the lapping surf as if it had insulted him before turning his back to the sea and headed towards the small bank of green grass behind them and subsequently started towards the camp—.

'_Who_ is late?' A stern voice suddenly called, stalling the blackette's footsteps as he glanced over his shoulder with an elegant brow raised in question. '_What_ exactly are you doing here if it's not to cause harm, Lord Ichigo? W-where is your wife, I don't see her but your child—.' Interrupting Percy's words before they could become too loud, the Reiou waved his free hand through the air as he hiked Rei up his hip more firmly. 'It seems that you finally woke enough to get over your speechless surprise, you are polite for a child of Poseidon. Usually I'd have been engaged in battle by now.' Ichigo teased playfully, observing the lights of the camp pavilion where a large fire was burning in a bronze brazier and a row of campers started assembling for supper. The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, leaving only a darkening sky that was dotted with fluffy clouds and a handful of visible stars. There was not an inkling of the moon present that night, the pitch black heavens creating a muffled darkness as the soft glow of reishi around Ichigo's form created a subtle shimmer to see by. When he began his journey towards the centre of camp, Percy followed him instinctively. There was something about this being that felt familiar to him, like he should know him as he waited patiently for his answer. Whatever he had been expecting though, when the words spilled from petal pink lips in answer several seconds later, he was left stunned for a second time.

'Poseidon is late, Percy Jackson, I'm waiting for your father.' A distant clap of thunder rumbled in answer to the Shinigami King's words, the black haired teen chocking back a laugh of disbelief when dark eyes suddenly turned on him with a glow of serious crimson red. 'It's quite rude to ask about wives and husbands in my presence, Demigod. Shinigami and Eastern Deities do not distinguish between male and female marriages or couples. I bore Rei myself, I am his Bearer or 'mother' as you would call it in mortal terms.' Ichigo noted truthfully, his regal form coming to a halt beneath the dancing flames that flickered above the archway of Cabin Three. The confused Half-Blood hadn't even noticed that they had come to halt before his cabin, he was struggling to process the words that had just been spoken as he gazed at the small five-year-old child in disbelief, wonder and a mixture of confused emotions he couldn't place. The small orangette finally seemed to stir in his father's arms though, as if sensing Percy's scrutinizing gaze as Ichigo placed him on the ground and prompted small geta glad feet to find their own balance. A small, near unheard voice was whispering a foreign word Percy didn't recognize mere moments later, the orange haired prince grasping a hold of elegant black nailed fingers as he hid himself shyly in the folds of his Bearer's white and turquoise cloak.

Peeking out at the Son Of Poseidon from soft silk folds and the side of a black clad thigh, large and innocent eyes were gazing at him fearfully from behind a messy array of orange bangs that were displaying an intense flash of anxiety and childlike curiosity. The world suddenly ground to a halt around Percy Jackson, a thousand words and questions rushing into the forefront of his mind as his lips parted with an unintelligible 'huh?'. His mind was reeling with utter confusion, his intelligence struggling to comprehend the reality of the situation until the truth finally dawned on him. He was completely silenced by the conclusion he had reached, his rationality fleeing his soul the moment that Rei blinked innocent eyes once, twice, thrice and unconsciously displayed the other half of his parentage. There could only be_ one_ Greek God with eyes like that, he thought mournfully. Startlingly beautiful sea-green orbs that were refusing to lock with his, seeming more interested in the silver pen that was clasped in Percy's hands as they glittered brightly in the firelight like the depths of the turmoiled oceans. They were the eyes of the Stormbringer, the Father Of Horses, The Lord Of The Sea and the Earthshaker…the Greek God, Poseidon. The same eyes that Percy had inherited from his father and it only took several seconds for Shiba Ichigo to confirm his suspicions.

'The Stormbringer, Poseidon, is Rei's Donor or 'father'. He's my precious little Denka, the Koutaishi of the Reiōkyū and your Otouto. Meaning, he's your little brother, Percy Jackson, and I'm here because I'd like to see the Camp Director.' That was_ it_, this Reiou from the East had officially just blew Percy's mind. He couldn't form a single sentence, his breath failing him as he stupidly followed the thigh-length blackette when he slipped inside Cabin Three without permission and led the small orangette along with him. The dining pavilion was already reverberating with the call of a conch horn, the campers gathering for the start of dinner as Ichigo bowed formally in the threshold of the young Demigod's home and apologized for intruding on his sanctuary. The seventeen-year-old was frozen under the archway, shivering with anxiety when a cold wind whipped around him despite the silk scarf keeping him warm from the winter elements. He had indeed fallen out of bed earlier, he remembered. Something unusual had called him towards the ocean, he could have sworn that he had sensed the presence of his father. And now that he had found the source of it, the black haired teen wasn't so sure what to do. Maybe he had hit his head when he had fell out his bed, the sheets were still in a disarray…

'M-Mr. D?' He finally chocked, catching onto the last words the thigh-length blackette had spoken. 'Y-you came to see Mr. D…why?' That was the only question that Percy could manage, sea-green eyes unable to draw away from the beautiful and deadly grace that Shiba Ichigo displayed. He was standing close to the salt-water spring close to the window, one hand resting on the smaller black sword that was by his side as his other remained firmly grasped around his child's.

'Dionysus is the god of many things, including mental disabilities. No matter how much I _deplore_ his attitude and manner, he is supposed to asses Rei every few months.'

'What for?'

'Rei is autistic, Percy. Poseidon insists that we keep a close eye on his health, even when there is no possible way for a god of the West to heal a godling from the East.'

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><p>1* - Heika – Your MajestyKing  
>2* - Jigoku – Hell<br>3* - Denka – Your Highness/Prince

Thank you so much for reading, if I can ask for a small review…I'd be eternally grateful to you. This story is very close to my heart and means a lot to me so I'd appreciate my honeys support if you enjoyed it. Next chapter, I'll have to see how quickly I can work with it…Christmas is around the corner and if I'm too late with my update I'm saying Happy Christmas to you all and a wonderful New Year now.

Any questions, you can PM me if you wish, I'll answer them to the best of my ability.

Yours Always

Chocolate Carnival


	2. Chapter 1: Compassion In The Dark

Wow, another year has flown by and I'm a little surprised that I had enough time to finish this chapter so long. I'm pretty exhausted, Christmas has never been my most like holiday but I hope that my honeys enjoyed themselves and that you are looking forward to the New Year. This is my last post for 2014, Chapter 1 of Melodies Of Midnight. This story is very close to my heart so I'd like to say thank you for those of you who reviewed it, it's going to be an angsty piece as you'll see but I'm hoping to turn it into a successful piece so it'll take me some time to get to Chapter 2.

I have much to write and do but this story means the world to me so please be patient with me. I'm going to place the warnings one last time so please heed them. You can expect them sometime in the future.

**Melodies of Midnight will contain: M/M lemons** (Establsihed Poseidon x Shiba Ichigo pairing), **Future M/M/M Pairing** (Poseidon x Shiba Ichigo x Percy Jackson), **Heavy Angst**, **Disability**, **Mentions of M-preg**, **Child**, **Rei (**零**) is Ichigo's son**, **Bearer and Donor Father Dynamics**, **Intense Lemons**, **Father x Son** (Poseidon x Percy**) intimacy moments** *separate pairing too* and **Mugetsu!Ichigo**…**Reiou!Ichigo**

Pairing starts out as:

**Poseidon (**Ποσειδῶν**) x Shiba Ichigo (**志波 一護**)**

Official Pairing is:

**Poseidon (**Ποσειδῶν**) x Shiba Ichigo (**志波 一護**) x Percy Jackson (**Περσεύς**)**

Other than that, please enjoy. Any questions and so on…you may PM me and I'll answer them to the best of my ability without spoiling the plot.

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 1: Compassion In The Dark:<strong>

Humming in curiosity when small fingertips tugged impatiently on the long sleeves of a silk haori, contemplative chocolate brown eyes glanced down with considerable concern when Ichigo felt Rei's gentle back-and-forth movements brush a warm forehead against his left thigh over and over again. A small indication that his little Denka was deeply unsettled by something or someone in his direct surroundings. After the five days of agonizing Dangai and shunpo travel the Royal Party had endured across limitless skies, vast continents and the encompassing stretch of the ocean; Ichigo was not at all surprised by his child's growing distress. Their current surroundings was filled with far too many senses, smells and people that Rei was unfamiliar with…something that had a nasty tendency to paralyze the five-year-old with fear and bouts of uncontainable anxiety. That was why the blackette had hoped the information he had just imparted to Poseidon's older son wouldn't stun him _too_ much, there really wasn't time to consider another being's questions and confusion when his little one's climbing reiatsu and near inaudible whimpers were rising in volume and prompted the temperatures in the cabin to plummet significantly. The heavy complexity of Bearers and Donors was _not_ a topic to discuss close to innocent ears or expand on when a puzzled teen was struggling to wrap his mind around the fact that Ichigo was clearly male and his father, Poseidon, had sired their small five-year-old son.

As if to cruelly prove that fact to Percy even further though, chocolate brown eyes watched anxiously as his little Denka swept small fingertips across the air and summoned a large trail of glittering water from the warm saltwater fountain that was situated several metres to their left. Swirling the gathered liquid in a wide half-moon arc, in a reflection to Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshō, it was as if the small orangette was drawing a picture with his hand as it eventually formed a transparent moon fang in front of vibrant sea-green eyes. Lighting up whimsical green depths with an unnaturally bright glow, the young Koutaishi's body yielded itself naturally to the intensifying reishi that was saturating the air as a heavy flash of pitch black reiatsu dimmed the liquid element and shot a menacing light throughout the spacious cabin. Knowing instinctively what was to come from personal experience alone, Shiba Ichigo prepared himself for the worst as he dropped to one knee in front of his son and drew Zangetsu's smaller blade with unimaginable speed. Driving a razor sharp tip into the wooden floor beneath them, he paid no mind to the deep crack that rumbled and split the ground as he concentrated his power on a counter to his Denka's unconscious actions. There was only a split second for the dark haired King to act, reality cracking apart with a simple cry of:

'Bakudō, hachi-jū-ichi…Dankū! (1*)' For a moment, it was as if the world had screeched to a halt. A kido barrier summoned out of thin air for the younger Demigod's sake mere _milli_seconds before the small orangette clapped his hands together and a clear, sharp sound echoed deafeningly into the darkening night. A tremor of uncontained power was shaking the very earth beneath their feet; the incomplete miasma of the young Denka's opposing inheritance from his parents, evaporating a mass of dense water in a cloud of thick steam as a collision of ice and scorching black reiatsu, collided painfully with Ichigo's skin. Leaving the Shinigami King to hiss softly in response, the sensation of acid seared his left hand exactly where it was clasped around Zangetsu's hilt before a dense flow of reishi finally seemed to release through his veins in belated protection. He wanted to curse his apparent carelessness though, his instinctive actions having called upon a technique to shield their guest first before any lasting damage could have been dealt to the mortal soul concealed by Percy's body. Now however, a burn of reiatsu was scorching the back of the blackette's hand as he smothered an echo of heavy reiatsu with a quick lash his own. A barely contained explosion of light blue reishi from Zangetsu's blade was severing the heavy darkness that had extinguished all form of light in the cabin, a vibrant flash unconsciously splintering his Bakudō in a shower of reiryoku fragments behind him.

'Really now, Rei? What did Tou-chan(2*) teach you about summoning your powers in the presence of mortals when you are in full Shinigami form?' Ichigo breathed with surprising calm for the amount of destruction that was encompassing them. A strange mixture of fragrant steam, ice and water having left behind a trail of scorch marks on the floor as a restless whine lilted uncertainly against the Reiou's fine hearing and chocolate brown eyes glanced over his shoulder to follow the path of destruction leading towards their host. The dark haired teen was thankfully crouched on the floor, balancing his frame with swift agility as the remains of the eighty-first barrier disintegrated completely with a decisive _crack_ and small fingertips drew the black haired King's attention back towards his son when they wound fitfully in the folds of a black kosode. Sighing softly the moment that a small frame shielded itself against his chest at the sound of a blade unsheathing itself, clumsy footsteps rushed forward with well-honed battle instincts as the King Of Souls allowed a vast array of black locks to tumble over his shoulders like a protective curtain. Bowing over his little one several seconds later, the Reiou made sure Rei couldn't see what was to come as he nonchalantly reached his hand behind him and swiftly captured the swing of a Celestial Bronze blade in the palm of his hand.

The sheer force from the rippling power abruptly shattered the saltwater fountain next to them, chocolate brown eyes colliding warningly with wild green orbs that were glancing at him with fear, trepidation and fierce protectiveness that could not be contained. Even though the Shinigami Deity could sympathetically recognize those emotions as the Son Of Poseidon grappling with the events that had taken place, now was definitely _not_ the time for either of them to be fighting… Rei was starting to display the signs of excessive stress, something that could prove to be potentially deadly for all mortals and weak souls in close proximity to the young Denka's influence of power. Before Ichigo could part his lips to call a halt to the Demigod's actions, he was interrupted by a small voice that whimpered against his thigh and a flood of confused words that swirled inaudibly against his strained hearing. Raising his hand defensively when his opponent trembled uncertainly where he stood, Ichigo watched as Percy took a step forward out of sheer stupidity and tried to engage a duel. It was not every day a blade was stopped with mere fingers after all, especially not a sword that was swung with the deft precision that came with years of training and combat experience. The black haired Half-Blood's attempt was quickly thwarted though, by a heavy hand descending on his shoulder. A tall shadow coming to a halt behind him as the butt end of a familiar trident banged on the wooden floor with heavy finality.

'_Easy_, Perseus. If you engage the Reiou with your sword directly, his Royal Guards will to tear you to pieces without remorse…never mind the destruction Rei will cause if he sees you attacking his Bearer.' A soothing baritone claimed cautiously, the shaft of a Celestial Bronze weapon pressing restrictively against the centre of the younger blackette's chest as the clever position of the Sea God's trident prevented his son from rushing forward recklessly and causing more trouble than was necessary. 'The little one over there is _exceedingly_ possessive and protective of Ichigo, that small explosion from before was merely a playful whimsy. It is nothing in comparison to what he is capable of when truly distressed.' Dazed and surprised sea-green eyes were staring straight at Ichigo with sheer disbelief, confusion and a thousand questions that were near impossible to answer. So the black haired King rested his palm atop a spiky orange head and allowed a flood of calm reiatsu to wash over his son's form before the situation could worsen. The fact that Poseidon had showed up when he did, was a small relief to the young Bearer as he sheathed Zangetsu's smaller blade by his side and looked towards his Beloved with an imploring gaze and a flash of intense exhaustion. The trip from the Reiōkyū into the Human World and subsequently the West, had left Ichigo more drained emotionally, mentally and physically than he had been in several hundred years.

The damage that had been wrought upon the inside of Cabin Three was _not_ something that he could fix with a simple wave of his hand, neither was it a situation he could rationalize correctly.

'Anata(3*),' He called quietly, taking several steps back to lean his shoulders against the wall as Rei stumbled over his feet several times to stay as close to Ichigo's side as possible. 'Would you mind fixing the damage? This is your domain, I'm afraid…not mine.' It only took a second for the destruction in Cabin Three to right itself, a simple snap of the Sea God's fingers allowing for a warm ocean breeze to sweep across newly polished floors and mend the shattered saltwater spring without a sound or complaint. A quiet hum of restored peace was skittering invitingly across tanned skin not long after that, prompting a sigh of relief to fall from luscious petal pink lips as the thigh-length blackette slid down the wall exhaustedly and pressed his temple against a cool marble column that was encrusted with abalone shells and deep sea pearls. There was a frown of deep concentration drawn between pitch black brows, a five-year-old child clambering anxiously into the black haired Shinigami's lap as small palms cupped slightly flushed cheeks in distress and a flash of pain echoed hauntingly through the depths of innocent sea-green eyes. 'T-Tou-chan? T-Tou-chan? D-daijōbu(4*)? Tou-chan?!' Ruffling warm finger through brightly coloured locks to calm Rei's rising panic, Ichigo whispered a quiet ''daijōbu(5*)" in return as he pressed an affectionate kiss to the centre of a furrowed tangerine brow and welcomed the sensation of warm temple pressing comfortingly against his collarbone.

Resting a curious ear against the rhythmic beat of his steady heart, the Reiou curled his arms around a tiny waist in affirmation to the little one's presence as chocolate brown eyes lifted mournfully to collide with his Beloved's concerned features. In a single glance Ichigo was revealing an intense array of dark emotions, anxiety and the _truth_ that had lead him towards the West in the first place. This was no vacation for the Shiba Family as he lead those around him to believe, the Reiōkyū had been targeted by a vicious attack a mere week ago and the Royal Guards had escorted their ruler and the Crown Prince across the continents to protect them from a planned assassination that had gone horribly awry. Leaving the Gotei-13, Shinigami and Seireitei to deal with the threat of the Quincies by themselves and escaping into the lands where Shinigami and gods became untraceable to all, was tearing the young Reiou to pieces inside as it left him breathless with the power he had expended to protect his son as well as assure safe passage across that vast distances towards Manhattan. The strain that a simple kido spell had imposed upon his soul a few seconds ago, was almost too much to bear with the threats that existed all around him and the danger that Ichigo was in simply by stepping onto the land influenced by the Greek Gods.

There was only _one_ god on his side after all, the father of his child and the Lord Of The Sea. All the others simply tolerated his presence because the ancient laws prevented them from interfering otherwise, creating a complex situation that was far from diplomatically just and easy to control. Struggling to ease several heaving breaths that were spilling erratically from petal pink lips, the mask of apathy and control Ichigo had worked _so_ hard to maintain to protect his child from sensing his own distress; seemed to crack the moment that a tall frame stepped out from behind his older son and knelt by the thigh-length blackette's side. Dressed in ethereal Greek armour that was as dark as the ocean depths and crafted from shimmering metal, accentuated a flowing green chlamys(6*) that reached towards leather sandals in several evocative folds and weaved an astonishing sight highlighted by intense sea-green orbs. Flickering warmly with worry, compassion and a deep, loving, warmth the Reiou had come to know intimately over the last three hundred years, the dark haired King leaned into a soothing touch when a calloused thumb brushed the black marked skin beneath his left eye and a deep baritone called out to him with quiet unease. Gazing intently at Poseidon's defined features in the dim shadows of a moonless night, a slow warmth ignited soothingly in the pit of the Shinigami King's stomach as Ichigo tentatively uncurled his grip from Rei's waist and rested his palm against a warm cheek.

'What happened, Ichigo? I wasn't expecting you for another month at least. It isn't like you to show up so unexpectedly…and here at Camp too? The palace—.' Shaking his in the negative to silence the older being before he could say too much, delicate chains from an intricate circlet began to glow light blue with gathering reishi as chocolate brown eyes collided thoughtfully with Percy and the regal wave of a hand called the five Guards of the Reiōkyū to their Master's side. The inside of Cabin Three was becoming rather cramped for space in those moments, the sound of several campers drawn to the commotion that had taken place inside their camp leader's home as Ichigo closed his eyes for several moments to regain some semblance of control over himself and keep a calm flow of reiatsu around his son's volatile powers before he could truly panic. 'Please, Poseidon. What has bought me here is a delicate matter, I cannot discuss it when there is a great possibility my enemies are all around me. Little Rei is also too young to understand what is going on. All I ask is to stay here under your protection for a while, Beloved. I need to shield our child from harm. I will _not_ lose another family member to _their_ underhanded methods. We can talk tomorrow morning after I have shifted my and Rei's souls to blend with the mortals here and he has had a chance to eat and rest. Myself too…I've been awake for five days straight and my reiatsu is _so_ depleted I cannot stay focused enough to—.'

Trailing off with surprise when warm lips slid intimately against his own and simultaneously silenced his flood of restless words, chocolate irises flashed crimson red with surprise as the taste of elderflower, lemon, sweet tea and spearmint flooded his mouth and enveloped his shivering frame in the haunting sensation of a warm ocean breeze that was ruffling lovingly through messy black bangs and prompted heavy eyelids to lid dark eyes behind long white lashes. A heady sensation of warmth was flowing ceaselessly through fast boiling blood, a crimson flush peppering pale cheeks as a whimper muffled against pale lips and the sound of Kirinji clearing his throat along with Nimaiya whistling lewdly, forced them to part after a moment of brief intimately. Mourning the loss of the gentle affection that displayed the deep emotions tying the Lord Of The Sea and King Of Souls together eternally, Ichigo shivered anxiously when he turned his head to the side bashfully and his eyes collided with the one person in the room that looked even more embarrassed and flushed than he himself was. Percy Jackson seemed unusually entranced by the display between his father and the long haired Shinigami, a flicker of unreadable emotions settling in sea-green depths as he flushed a darker red when he caught Ichigo's gaze and several hasty, retreating, steps rushed towards the closed door with a hint of panic

'I think you owe your son an explanation, Poseidon… He's desperately confused. I've upset him more than enough for one night.' The Reiou noted regretfully, his eyes following the dark haired teen and the trailing edges of the turquoise scarf he had given him as he disappeared towards the commons area where Chiron, the Camp Director and several campers were already heading towards Cabin Three. 'Ah, I think you're right. I owe Perseus a lot, including some of my time. Now that Zeus has finally relaxed the law preventing us from seeing our Demigod children, I'll be the first to make a difference. After having his heart broken a few months ago too, I hear, it's time I become the father to him that he deserves.' Nodding encouragingly at those words, Ichigo smiled indulgently when Poseidon reached down to ruffle Rei's orange locks when the small orangette shifted excitedly in his father's lap and whispered 'Otou-sama(7*)' several times like a mantra. The room around them was eventually lightening with the little one's voice, the single word soon becoming a lyrical flow of Japanese that stained the night with: _Watashi ni sasayaku, shihai suru ga umi no…_ (8*)

'Whisper to me, Father Of The Sea.' Ichigo translated for his lover, letting Rei go when he headed towards the place where Kirio-san and Senjumaru were combining their powers to separate a section of Cabin Three with gossamer curtains, silks, tatami mats and Shoji doors that were concealed in the specially crafted bags, carved eastern trunks and Royal belongings they had brought along with them. The other two guards were stepping outside to converse with Dionysus and Chiron, formally heading out to strengthen the barrier with kido as the scent of packed bento (9*) saturated the air with an alluring fragrance and the thigh-length blackette was helped to his feet with a guiding hand. 'Father Of The Sea?' Poseidon asked curiously, sea-green eyes following his son's form as Rei headed towards Ichibei's side and gazed imploringly at the white edges of the long bearded Shinigami's haori. Where the monk and high priest of the Reiōkyū smiled playfully several minutes later and made a big show of reaching into his large sleeves and pulling out a squirming ball of fluff. The quiet bark of a small dog was shattering the night air, a tan Pekingese dancing around the young Denka's feet as her black companion soon joined her excitedly. They were Rei's protectors and companions, specially trained and bred to provide him the tactile comfort that he sometimes shied away from when it did not come from his Bearer or those he trusted enough to let close once in a while.

'He's been calling that out since you saw him last Harvest Moon.' Ichigo said quietly, turning towards the bustle of his guards as he gazed sadly at the edges of the dark sky outside. 'Go talk to Percy, Poseidon. I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble, I'll try and sort things out with Dionysus and Chiron tomorrow.' A heavy, visible, fatigue was descending upon the young Reiou's shoulders in those moments, a melancholic gaze drifting towards the starlit and stormy ocean outside the window as it surged with the unrest and concern of its ruler when Ichigo pressed a parting kiss to Poseidon's cheek. 'If we are granted a moment of privacy later, I'll tell you what happened and what's going on in Seireitei. Tonight though, we must rest. I apologize for imposing on your son's cabin, Anata, but little Rei won't be able to stay in the Big House. There are simply too many people in and out and he won't like that we would be in close proximity to the God Of Wine. The little one's never been fond of your nephew.'

'I understand, Ichigo…I'll come back to check on you later.' Offering one last nod of acceptance, Ichigo was left to mourn the loss of Poseidon's presence when he too disappeared into the night and followed the path his son had taken. Now, there was no doubt in his mind, that he would be weighed down by the bloodstained images of his Oyaji's sacrificing himself to save his family and Seireitei crumbling to pieces with the unstoppable might of Soul Society's greatest enemy. There had been so little time to escape, so little time to shield Rei's eyes from the bloodied carnage of their home and now that they had reached safety for a while…Ichigo was ready to collapse himself and fall into a hundred-year-sleep to mourn a loss he had not been permitted to do before and curse his old man for sealing his son's powers to protect those around him when he needed them most…

'May the Moonless Skies shield my home and mourn the loss of our former King, Shinigami from the East. Hail the former Emperor of Souls, the Pillar of the Three Worlds, my Father…the First Balancer…Shiba Isshin.'

**...**

'Oh gods,' A quiet tenor called out anxiously, intense sea-green eyes trained solely upon the path towards the beach as hurried steps never once slowed down until the harsh ground turned to silvery sands beneath bare feet and the welcoming lilt of the ocean waves sang a soft lullaby for the starlit night sky. Percy had not even taken a moment to acknowledge Jason and Nico's calls of concern when he rushed through the crowd gathered before his cabin, his entire mind simply _flooded_ with the strangely erotic and deeply alluring sight he had witnessed the moment his father had passed his lips over the Reiou's in appeasing comfort. He couldn't understand what was going on anymore, his entire world had come to a screeching halt as his breaths rasped painfully in his throat and his lungs wheezed for the lost oxygen it couldn't regain. Even though the distance he had travelled towards the edge of the surf wasn't that far; ever since he had escaped the poisoned depths of Tartarus a little more than ten months ago, his ability to breathe properly had never truly been restored to its previous state. Neither had the Son Of Poseidon experienced a single night of rest where his dreams weren't haunted by night terrors that he woke from screaming and caused him to lose control of the dark emotions he tried so hard to conceal from others - lest they _too_ witness the darkness that had driven away his first love, Annabeth, and left him all alone in the pain of forced solitude.

He didn't blame the Daughter of Athena for leaving him to pursue a quieter life among the Hunters with Thalia Grace though, there was just _something_ within the both of them had been shattered deep down in the darkest pit of the Underworld. No amount of wishes, patches in their relationship and promises to stay together forever had been able to fix what had been lost after the war with Gaia. And all because _one_ curse from the Arai (10*) he could not share with anyone else, haunted every single day of his life and left his consciousness drifting between two worlds of life and death where his heart was a former, icy-cold, shadow of itself and his soul remained fractured with the heavy weight of shame, helplessness and a sense of lost innocence he knew he could _never_ regain no matter how hard he tried. Feeling his father's presence so close to him for the first time in _many_ months however, had sent a deep shock through the seventeen-year-old's system as it had stunted any normal response he had been trying to have in gaining a new brother, a powerful explosion rocking his cabin and the near unbelievable reality that his Dad was, at the very least, bi-sexual and had sired a child younger than him. That thought had never occurred to him before, he had always assumed that the Greek Gods hunted the beauty of the opposite sex. But Shiba Ichigo, from the few minutes that Percy had spent in his presence, had left him enraptured and unnaturally drawn towards the eastern god himself.

The long haired blackette was far more beautiful than any girl Percy had seen before, looked gentler and kinder than his mother and exuded such an aura of composed grace and control that it had felt like he had stood in the presence of a burning sun that had been born solely to warm cold skin and graciously offer lost souls a glimpse of life as it should be without the darkness of despair and sorrow weighing down the world. Even now, the dark haired teen could smell the King Of Souls' scent… A haunting miasma of mint, orange blossom, chocolate, ice, silk and a fiery spice from the East he could not place as it seared itself into the depths of his mind and cautious fingertips tightened a silky turquoise scarf more firmly around his neck. It was_ so_ warm, he thought to himself privately. Heating a foreign need in the pit of his stomach as sea-green eyes glanced down at the ink black surface of the ocean spreading into the depthless horizon before him. A heavy wind was tugging irritably at scruffy black locks; skittering dark strands across pale cheeks as the longer style he had adopted, threw his eyes into dark shadow and shielded his far too intense gaze from the harshness of the world. Jason had warned him last summer that his eyes were frightening to some campers, even those who were his friends. So Percy had decided to grow out his hair and conceal them, it wouldn't do to isolate himself more from the only home he had amongst his kin and those who had survived the war along with him.

To be considered a burden by those close to him, was too painful to endure… Perseus had learned that lesson from Annabeth the hard way. His turmoiled emotions, nightmares and inability to trust anymore were qualities that people did not appreciate in comparison to the vibrant and easy going personality he had possessed before. War, it was said, changed people. _That_ was a fact that Percy Jackson could not escape from these days, just like he could not run away from what had happened to him and the burden of dark emotions he was forced to carry. It was a useless endeavour to try and evade the strings of fate, the despair would always catch up to him some time or another. Out here in the darkness of the moonless night, with only the vast ocean and empty beach as his companion; the Son Of Poseidon seated himself on the soft sand as he urged the ebb and flow of the tides to lap playfully around his feet. It was his only form of comfort and salvation, the gift of water easing his confusion and heavy thoughts for several minutes as sea-green eyes eventually tilted upwards to stare at the storm clouds brewing on the horizon and small pinpricks of light shimmering through the overcast skies. The inherent cold from the intensifying winter was causing several shivers to chase across sun bronzed skin, a noticeable shadow falling over him from above as the familiar sound of a concerned whinny and restless hooves, walking confidently across an uneven surface, grew closer to his side.

_Yo, Boss… _A voice announced cheerfully in the depths of his mind. _The entire camp's gathering in front of Cabin Three and you're out here chillin' on the beach? I could have sworn I heard an explosion…what happened?_ Relaxing unconsciously tensed shoulders the moment a warm nose nuzzled the back of his head, Percy sighed softly in relief as his pegasus, Blackjack, walked several circles around him in concern and whinnied irritably at the cold pacific ocean touching his hooves. The large black stallion's presence was quickly becoming a welcome distraction to the young Demigod's unrest, a warm wing brushing his spine in companionable affection before a soothing warmth enveloped his seated form behind when the pegasus laid down on the beach and curled himself around his Master with as much subtlety that an eighteen-hand horse with a fifteen-foot wingspan could manage. A curious muzzle was nuzzling the pocket of dark green cargo pants incessantly though, forcing Percy to uncurl his legs, where he had drawn them towards his chest in self-preservation, before a warm head laid contentedly in his lap and the black horse snorted with amusement when sea-green eyes glared down at him from behind a messy array of black locks. _Don't give me that look, Boss. You didn't bring me sugar cubes, there's no doughnuts in your pockets either so I'm __**not**__ goin' anywhere until you say something…I can smell the sorrow on you, Master, I don't like it—._

_Your scarf smells nice though, I want to eat it. _Chuckling softly at those words, Percy quickly pulled beautiful turquoise silk to safety before Blackjack could start nibbling on the borrowed gift as he laid his palm on a white marked muzzle to settle the uncertain tremors that was shaking his hands. Running absent fingertips through a silky mane and welcoming the sensation of a raven black wing curling around his shoulder protectively, Percy whispered a soft 'thank you' because he knew _exactly_ what his companion was doing. This wasn't the first time that Blackjack had come to find him after a nightmare or when he skipped dinner to bathe himself in the awe-inspiring might of the sea. It wouldn't be the last either. So far the raven stallion was the only being that was remotely aware of what was troubling the Son Of Poseidon. It wasn't like he could tell anyone about it in the first place and he always listened patiently whenever his Master wanted to talk or simply stay silent with him in close proximity. They were comrades in arms after all, cohorts and Percy didn't think there was anything wrong with having a pegasus for a friend…it made dealing with his nightmares much easier sometimes than he'd like to admit. Turning his head to the side to conceal the restless emotions swirling in his eyes as even footsteps approached from behind, Percy was just about to call out to Jason and Nico (the only two who seemed to search out his presence these days), when his breath hitched painfully in his chest.

_Oh shit, it's the Big Boss! Lord Poseidon!_

Perseus couldn't have expressed his own surprise better than his pegasus had, sea-green eyes glancing up at the tall frame that had come to a halt next to them as mirroring green orbs collided thoughtfully with his and a gentle smile curled across the Lord Of The Sea's lips several seconds later. 'Big Boss, eh? I've been called many things over the years but that's certainly a first. It's better than 'seafood' the monsters adopt, I suppose. No, no…don't get up, either of you. You don't mind if I join you though, do you Percy?' Shaking his head in the negative, the messy dark haired teen was too stunned to speak as Poseidon seated himself next to his son and made himself comfortable on the beach like he belonged there. The Father Of Horses was resting his hand on Blackjack's neck, absently carding his fingertips through a silky mane as he leaned back on his free hand and an evocative trench-coat spread haunting folds on the silvery sands behind him. For the second time that night Percy noticed that Poseidon was dressed in clothes he had never seen his father wear before. Forcing him to acknowledge the dark allure and attractiveness the God Of The Sea could exude himself when he took the time to pay attention to his appearance and how he came across. Long legs were covered in dark jeans; a green shirt, in the same hue as his armour cloak from before, was settled below the tasteful lapels of a black winter coat as two surprisingly laid back flip-flops were settled on his feet.

When he finally parted his lips to speak after several minutes of charged silence, the cold humidity in the air was misting the breaths before slightly parted lips as the Greek God pressed his foot in the sand and lazily curled his left arm around a propped up knee. The familiar hum of a Celestial Bronze trident was echoing a heavy pressure of power through the atmosphere, the glowing tines illuminating the beach in a soft green glow as unnaturally bright sea-green orbs seemed to reflect the fathomless depths of the Sea God's domain the moment that they too followed Percy's gaze towards the breaking surf and a swift movement buried a two metre weapon upright in the sand. Curling absent fingertips around the heavy shaft, the young Demigod was surprised when the clouds darkened in the sky above them and the very air grew heavy with the scent of a brewing sleet storm. Even the winds were starting to pick up around them, bending the tops of the pine trees in the forest as the temperatures dropped significantly and the sensation of Poseidon's upset rocked through the entirety of the Long Island Sound beyond the magical borders of Camp Half-Blood. Large waves were cresting on the black horizon, breaking through the surface with white foam as the darkness of the night dimmed significantly with overcast light and locked away the few stars Percy had been able to see before.

Before the dark haired teen could part his lips and apologize for causing his father such obvious unrest, Poseidon quickly waved aside his son's words as a weary sigh spilled from pale lips and warm fingertips came to rest against the top of a black haloed head. 'It's not your fault, Perseus, I'm not angry or upset at your actions.' The older being reassured soothingly, reluctantly removing his hand from his trident so that the noticeable weapon could transform into a silver chained pendant hung around the Lord Of The Sea's neck. 'I'm merely concerned, child. For Ichigo, little Rei and mostly for _you_, Percy. The ocean is bound to reflect my mood and it's about time that I too get to express my power. Your uncle has been holding me back for long enough, it's about time that I set things right where I have been forbidden from doing so before.' Shivering softly at the conviction that was present in the Lord Of The Sea's words, the seventeen-year-old was worried that his father was about to get himself attacked by a shaft of lightning. But instead, the storm in the distance seemed to lessen as the half-blood was gifted a gentle smile that was almost enough to convince him everything would be fine no matter what happened. It was a sight he had glimpsed only a handful of times before, a soothing gentleness that was reserved _only_ for him as it made him feel like the awe-inspiring being next to him _truly_ was his father and not just an unapproachable god that could break him to piece with a mere glance.

'I see that Ichigo's taken quite a liking to you,' Poseidon said with a smile, warm eyes twinkling with amusement as he noted the turquoise scarf settled around Percy's neck and the swift movement that curled protective fingertips around the silky garment out of fear that someone may take it away. 'It's warm.' Percy answered guardedly, a soft flush skittering across his cheeks as he shyly glanced away from the burning depths of Poseidon's eyes before they could read his emotions without consent and pick up on the swirl of confusion, attraction, yearning, fear and strangely_ hope_ that was cresting powerfully against the edges of his soul. He was already having trouble sorting through the heavy darkness and despair that was marring his thoughts, there was no need to complicate matters further by developing an attraction for a being that had borne his father a child and was clearly in an intimate relationship with the Stormbringer as well. Hissing softly in surprise when a forefinger and thumb guided his averted eyes back to his father's intense gaze anyways, the black haired teen was uncertain of what to do when green orbs locked meaningfully with his and pinned him with a concerned frown. There were a thousand unreadable emotions swirling in Poseidon's gaze, frightening Percy for the first time as it felt like he was about to ignite the wrath of the one being he respected more than anyone and had come to admire much more than he perhaps should over the last few years.

'Please don't look away from me, Percy. It's painful enough that I cannot shield you from the anguish of a war, the loss of a first love and the darkness of endless night terrors.' Not quite sure how to respond to those words, Percy parted his lips to call out in anger before a curled forefinger brushed the skin of cheek in a gentle gesture. 'You don't pray to me as often as you used to, you skip meals and drift so far away into your soul to punish yourself for things that are not your fault. Not to mention the burdens you take on your shoulders that are not _meant_ to be carried alone. Talk to me for once, child. Lie down your encumbrances for a while. I will be here for as long as you need me, son, I promise you that.' Despising himself for the series of sorrowful whimpers that escaped petal pink lips, several uncertain tremors were wracking the seventeen-year-old's lithe frame as he was abruptly yanked forward so that his temple could come to rest against a warm shoulder and tender fingertips brushed scruffy black bangs away from his forehead. Blackjack was skilfully untangling himself from his Master's side though, offering father and son more room to themselves as he shook the sand from his coat and soared into the sky with a powerful sweep of raven black wings. Before the dark haired Demigod could call out to the pegasus in confusion, he trailed off with a hitched breath when an affection kiss whispered against the top of his head in stunned silence.

'D-Dad, I—.' This was the first time that Poseidon had shown such open affection towards his son, igniting a yearning comfort deep inside Percy's soul that he never knew he could feel as he shamefully buried his nose in a black coat the moment that a harsh sting seared the backs of his eyes in response. It was almost too much in those moments, his entire being enveloped in an elderflower, lemon and ocean breeze scent that reminded him of the one memory he could never chase away from his mind…the warm light and an impression of a gentle smile. A deep, _instinctual_, knowing was blossoming to life within him that this being loved him and would—. Sadly, those emotions flitted away from his grasp just as quickly as they came the instant that he was overrun by the thousand other times he had been angry at Poseidon for abandoning him, leaving him to struggle through the cruelties of fate alone and never truly being there when he needed him the most. What would change this time? He asked himself. Why did he even allow his emotional walls to crumble whenever he was in close proximity to a father he should instinctively hate? Percy just couldn't take in anymore, a frustrated scream muffling against a black coat as strong arms curled around his waist and refused to let him go despite the desperate struggles he made to escape and run away before his thoughts and emotions could become any more confusing and muffled than they already were.

'Let me go! I-I—!'

'Hush, Percy I know. You don't need to be afraid. You don't need to say anything either, just listen…that's all I ask. I have fought long and hard with Zeus to lift the restriction on gods visiting and seeing their demigod children. _Just_ so that I could stay beside you like the father you deserve. I can't stand to see you suffer any more, the world needs to change and we along with it. Trust me, please. I cannot be more proud of you than I am, nor can I love you more than I already do. I'm sorry that I have not been able to say these things to you when you needed to hear them the most, but I won't leave you to carry your burden by yourself either.' When those words lilted so sincerely from pale lips, the Son Of Poseidon felt all his emotions shut off within him as it left him empty and numb to the world around him. All that he could feel was a soothing warmth wrapped around him, his mind fogged over by a sweet scent that was mixing hauntingly with the one from a silky turquoise scarf as his shoulders heaved with his lost breath and the minutes seemed to stretch into hours of an unbreakable silence. Unable to process the sound of others approaching the beach as the wind picked up around them, Percy curled his fingertips in black fabric as his voice flowed from his lips in a near inaudible whisper.

'Will you stay?' He asked raggedly, his tenor tainted with years of sorrow as he shivered softly when an affirmation brushed against the top of his head and he was finally allowed some freedom of movement when Poseidon pulled away his embrace. Concealing his disappointment behind a curtain of messy black hair at the action, the Son Of Poseidon pushed himself to his feet with some difficulty as he allowed his feet to guide him right to the edge of the surf where the ocean had retreated to its low-tide marker by the rocks. Unconsciously fisting dark green cargo pants in thought as he bent forward, sea-green eyes closed painfully behind heavy lids as a mournful tear of regret dragged slowly down his cheek. It was going to be a long path to walk, he knew…but maybe, just maybe, fate would be kinder to him this time. Percy doubted it but he was once again made aware of a beautiful silk scarf warming the inherent cold of his body. And as the wind swirled restlessly around him, he glanced up at his father as the Earthshaker gazed towards Cabin Three with a frown of concern.

'Will you tell me about him, Dad? He's unlike anyone or anything I've met before and my little brother…h-how does it work, I don't understand…' Trailing off with a deep flush of embarrassment when Poseidon turned towards him with a raised eyebrow in question, the wind tickled long black bangs across red peppered cheeks as a clear chuckle sounded through the air and his father raised his hand to drag his fingers through his own messy strands. 'Hmm, captivated by the Reiou and young Koutaishi already? I remember the first time I met Ichigo, he nearly severed me in half with those Zanpactō of his. Like any Greek worth his gold, I was either destined to fall in love with him or murder him on the spot. Since I was thoroughly beaten by his skill and outmatched by his power and influence in his home turf three hundred years ago, I was lucky enough to fall in love instead of becoming bitter over him like Apollo and Zeus did.'

'Ah, my Beloved Ichigo. The King Of Souls, the Second Pillar Of The Three Worlds, The Black Sun, The Moonless Sky, The Balancer, God Of Death and Bringer Of Duality. He is definitely unlike anyone or anything you've met before, Perseus. But I'll leave you to discover that for yourself. He'll staying here for a while in your cabin. I'm going to be between the Palace and Camp quite a lot because I still have my duty as Poseidon. I know this is a lot to ask but can you look after little Rei and Ichigo for me when I'm not here? Trouble follows him around just as much as it does you and he's very far away from home. It's dangerous for gods to be removed from their spheres of influence, it makes them vulnerable. My brothers and sisters have never been fond of the gods from the East, well except Apollo but he frightens Rei so I've forbidden him to come in close contact with Ichigo…' Poseidon didn't have to finish his request, there was no need for Percy to hear more. Anyone who had nearly beaten his father in a fight, made him fall in love and was despised by the other gods, was someone he'd willingly look after out of pure respect.

And besides, there was something about Ichigo that already drew Percy towards him…something that he was not sure how to fight anymore.

* * *

><p>It had been a long night, a sense of deep exhaustion pressing down on Ichigo's chest as he fought a valiant battle to remain cocooned in the depths of fatigued sleep for a little longer. Only, something was weighing down the silk sheets and eiderdown duvet behind him as pair of strong arms slipped restrictively around his waist and a warm forehead came to rest against the back of his neck. Several steady breaths were tickling highly sensitized skin, dazed chocolate brown eyes fluttering from behind heavy eyelids and long curling golden lashes to observe the first rays of the winter sun creeping in from the gossamer curtains that spanned around the small traditional Japanese room the Royal Guard had constructed for them the night before. A vibrant array of messy orange locks was spilling into dazed eyes, skittering across pale cheeks and tumbling artfully across a dainty nose as the shorter style his now human gigai had adopted, stuck up in several different direction with dishevelled sleep as mirroring orange locks brushed his nose and chin where a small five-year-old was curled contentedly against his chest with a nose buried in the folds of a silky black yukata. Barely able to hold back his natural instinct to protect his little one from harm, the Reiou had to physically stop himself from reaching behind him where Zangetsu's dual forms were stored in a traditional obsidian sword-rack next to his bed.<p>

'P-Poseidon?' He called out quietly, struggling to move because he was completely boxed in from all sides as a shudder of undue arousal abruptly raced down his spine when a pair of soft lips pressed against the nape of his neck and a warm nose buried in dishevelled strands to draw in his scent. A barely heard 'hmmm?' was lilting against dazed senses, the Lord Of The Sea seeming too content to move as Ichigo reluctantly allowed himself several moments to bathe his awareness in his Beloved's presence before Rei woke up and he would have to face reality of the difficult situation that surrounded them. A thousand images were flickering mournfully through his mind, his breath hitching painfully in his chest as a flood of uncontained emotions crested against the edges of his soul without permission. For the first time in five days, Ichigo was enveloped in a gentle comfort he had not expected to feel again as the wall of ice melted away from his heart and he unconsciously tightened his grip around Rei's waist to rebuild his control from the bottom up. _There would be time to grieve later_, he reminded himself harshly. There would be time to spend by Poseidon's side _later_ and time to lose himself in the darkness of his soul_ later_. Now, a new day was dawning on the horizon and his son needed him…just like his home had to be protected with new strategies _before_ the Quincy Emperor realized his mistake in slaughtering the wrong Reiou for his devious plan of revenge.

'What is it, Ichigo?' A soothing baritone asked several minutes later. 'I've never felt your reiatsu so restless before. Do you want to get up?' Somehow having the ability to sense the turn in Ichigo's mood without even trying, the orange haired King hoped selfishly that the crystalline droplets disappearing into Rei's hair wouldn't wake the little one as he took a deep, shuddering breath to ease his lost control. It wasn't working very well however, his soul fracturing little by little as he was reminded of the father to his child's infinite kindness and gentle voice. 'The O-Oyaji…' He called mournfully. 'The bastard Oyaji! H-he—.' Poseidon had understood, his arms tightening reassuringly around Ichigo's waist without him having to finish the words that were weighed down by the gravity of dark sorrow. The Lord Of The Sea was patiently holding onto the Reiou as the younger being fought a battle within himself to conceal his despairing emotions before their child woke. The agonizing minutes ticked by slowly, turning into a full hour before hitched breaths finally evened out and a lithe frame stopped trembling in his lover's arms. Haunted chocolate brown eyes, tainted with flecks of gold in the reflection of the Soul King's 'Sun' form, collided thankfully with concerned and pained sea-green depths as Ichigo skilfully managed to turn himself around in his Beloved's arms without completely stirring the young Denka from his rest.

Tracing regal features with the tips of black nailed fingertips, mournful brown eyes seared the image of Lord Poseidon into the depths of his mind as he buried his forehead against a strong shoulder just as a small form stirred against his back and small fingertips tightened restlessly in the folds of his yukata. A childlike voice was calling out to Ichigo in need, small hands trembling uncertainly as the orange haired being remained quiet for a second too long and the restless whines of the Koutaishi's two pets echoed mournfully through the air. 'It's alright, Denka.' Ichigo eventually spoke, forcing himself to rise from the comfort of his shared bed so that he could ruffle messy orange locks and press a kiss to the centre of furrowed tangerine brows. Large and innocent sea-green eyes were gazing up at him expectantly, the little one's concern expressed through the small palm that came to rest upon his Tou-chan's cheek as several rocking movements swayed him back and forth on bare feet. Rei was clearly a little frightened by the interloper in their bed, not sure what to make of the God Of The Sea until Poseidon stood with an exaggerated yawn and came to kneel before the small five-year-old on one knee to somewhat equal their height. Well aware that his son did not take well to unannounced physical contact unless he initiated it himself, the Stormbringer hummed curiously as he observed the ink and paint that was present on an expensive light blue yukata.

'Has my little Ocean Prince been painting again, Rei? Do you want to show Otou-sama your art before you get dressed?' A near inaudible voice was calling 'Otou-sama?' questioningly as green eyes glanced at Ichigo in search of affirmation. When the older orangette gave a steady nod with an encouraging smile, Rei grabbed his Donor father's hand as he lead the Greek God through shoji doors that separated the cordoned off section of Cabin Three into a surprisingly spacious family room where a hearth was dug in the corner and a warm fire crackled invitingly in the winter morning sun. Tasteful furniture, a dresser, low table and decorated drawers were sparingly placed throughout the space in traditional Japanese style. An orchid and rose flower arrangement decorating the space below an ancient scroll that contained the duty of the Shiba Family as Poseidon was left to marvel in awe at the astoundingly homey rooms the Royal Guard could weave with a few simple time and space kido and the contents of the Royal belongings. It was like Ichigo and Rei had never truly left home, they had simply took it with them…albeit in a significantly smaller scale. For the little one's levels of stress in new places and being surrounded with people he did not know, Poseidon knew that it would be an advantage where Rei could retreat when he felt overwhelmed…a small sanctuary_ just_ for him that the rest of the world could not enter without permission.

A small sanctuary that the little orangette was making use of already, the Lord Of The Sea noted. The low table in the centre of the room was obsessively categorized with neat stacks of parchment, an array of differently toned black inks and traditional writing utensils. Watercolour paints, arranged in the pattern of the colour wheel, were neatly arranged in three rows as the accompanying brushes ranged from large to small sizes in reaching distance of an astoundingly beautiful watercolour painting. Rei's talent, despite him being so young in appearance, was something that took Poseidon's breath away every single time he saw it. Time was difficult to measure for a young godling, especially a young godling from the East because Shinigami aged differently than the immortal gods of Olympus did. So the Stormbringer was never quite sure how old his son was but he knew that only a very special godling would have the ability to paint as beautifully and write as fluently as his little Ocean Prince did. Sea-green eyes were simply transfixed on the eternal image captured on a large A3 paper. An astounding amount of detail was worked expertly with dark colours, only the silken folds in a turquoise scarf and mournful sea-green eyes stood out against the ocean backdrop as a moonless night spread out into the horizon and the Lord Of The Sea found himself gazing longingly at his older son, Perseus.

With startlingly bright green eyes partially concealed in a sprawl of messy array of black hair and the heavy sorrow of a distant gaze overlooking the ocean, Poseidon had to stop himself from reaching out his fingers to brush the picture with disbelief. It looked so real, just like his child had been the night before…so beautiful and sad…bent but not broken. His eyes were telling the story of his pain, a thousand emotions reflected in his gaze as the Lord Of The Sea jerked in surprise when small fingertips wound through a black trench-coat and innocent sea-green orbs glanced up at him with a sparkle of pride. 'Onii-sama(11*).' Rei said decisively, smiling to himself contentedly as he folded his knees beneath him and picked up a calligraphy brush. With elegant movements no child should ever be able to execute, the Lord Of The Sea watched transfixed as Ancient Greek letters appeared down the side of the paintings in elegant hand:

Περσεύς: Απόγονος της Θάλασσας…

Perseus: Descendant Of The Sea, his son that had made an immense impression on a young child that never paid attention to new people he met. He was speechless once again, not sure what to say as he glanced towards Ichigo for help but the orange haired Reiou merely offered him a smile as he called Rei to them so that they could get ready for the day and join the camp for breakfast. A new day had dawned indeed, Poseidon was assured of that…

* * *

><p>1* - Bakudō, hachi-jū-ichi…Dankū – Way Of The Binding, 81, Splitting Void (It makes a transparent wall of reishi to protect the user or space designated by the Shinigami from the numbers 80 – 89 Hadō techniques)<br>2* - Tou-chan – Informal way of referring to one's father, means Daddy.  
>3* - Anata – Is an affectionate way to refer to a lover, usually used between married couples<br>4* - Daijōbu – Are you alright?  
>5* - Daijōbu – I'm alright (it depends on the context of how it's spoken, like a question or an affirmation)<br>6* - Chlamys – Cloak that the Greeks, usually regal figures, wore over their armour…the roman version one looks better so I was going for the image of the roman 'royalty in battle' appearance  
>7* - Otou-sama – Formal way to refer to one's father, meaning Father. I'm using it to distinguish between Tou-chan for Ichigo and Otou-sama for Poseidon<br>8* - Watashi ni sasayaku, shihai suru ga umi no… - 'Whisper to me, Father Of The Sea' though, it may not be an accurate translation into Japanese…online translators are unreliable  
>9* - Bento – Packed Lunch<br>10* - Arai – Curses that are placed upon the slayer of monsters or demigods, they are unleashed in Tartarus and Percy was forced to bring several of them on himself when trying to save Annabeth  
>11* - Onii-sama – Formal way to refer to one's older Brother.<p>

Thank you so much for reading, I truly appreciate it. If I can ask for a small review for my hard work, I'd be eternally grateful to you. It would mean the world to me as it always does. Any questions, don't be afraid to ask. I wish you a great New Year and safe driving when travelling. May you enjoy the remainder of the holiday.

Yours Always

Chocolate Carnival


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